Triassic Period
Coverage of Triassic Period in the Nexus archive.
- Spectacular fossil preserves internal organs of ancient marine reptile
A 245-million-year-old fossil of Austronaga minuta, a marine reptile from the Triassic Period, preserves its intact digestive system, including the stomach, liver, and intestines. Found in Yunnan province, China, the specimen belongs to the archosaur group, which includes dinosaurs and crocodiles, and shows reptilian digestive anatomy has remained largely unchanged for over 240 million years.
- Ancient global warming fueled a fiery chapter in Europe’s past
A study published in Nature Geoscience reveals that ancient wildfires fueled by fern-dominated landscapes occurred in Europe during extreme global warming 201 million years ago. Researchers linked volcanic activity from Pangea's breakup to rising temperatures, which transformed forests into flammable fern savannahs, causing widespread burning.